You’ve spent hours upon hours swimming, biking and running to knock out your first multi-sport event; pull a personal best or grab a podium spot. But how much time have you spent practicing your transitions? Races have literally been won or lost on how quickly an athlete moves through T1 (swim to bike) and T2 (bike to run). Here are some tips to help you train for speedy and smooth transitions.

Practice:
Just like life’s other tasks, the more you practice, the faster you will learn what works most efficiently for you. You will also start asking yourself if you really need to wear cycling gloves and socks or put on shorts or a shirt over your sopping wet swimsuit. (Isn’t it hard to pull on dry clothes over a wet body and swimsuit?) Think ‘minimalist’ and eliminate any gear or actions that waste time. Grab a few friends and turn some mock transitions into their own little race to get a feel for the pressure of the clock on race day. If you’re cycling shoes will already be clipped into the peddles in T1 on race day, it is imperative that you nail down your flying mounts and dismounts before trying it in a race—it would be easy to end someone else’s race, as well as your own if not properly executed on race day.

Race day:
Arrive at the race site early. With any luck you’ll not only grab an end spot on a rack—if they aren’t assigned—but you’ll give yourself time to familiarize where you will be entering and exiting transition after the swim and the bike and where your bike is located in relation. Once the race starts, the transition area can be described as “controlled chaos” and, with minds slightly fatigued or disoriented after a hard swim, it’s easy to lose time trying to find your bike. As you visualize coming into T1, notice whether your bike will be on the right or left, which row and how far back. If you count the rows now, will you remember as you race? Locking in on a landmark near your rack can help. Some folks tie a bright ribbon or balloon—if allowed-on the end of their rack. Now is the time to nail your bike’s location so you won’t be wasting time and energy coming out of the water.

You also want to understand where you will be going to mount your bike. Is it on grass or soft sand? If your shoes aren’t attached to your pedals, running through grass or sand can cause for sticky cleats. Also check out the first mile of the bike course—what gear does your bike need to be in to move as efficiently as possible. People are often forced to walk right out of transition on some of the Clermont courses because they have locked in to too big a gear for a ride that starts with a slight uphill.

Set-up:
Set up your area the way you practiced. Visualize again how each piece will be taken off or put on. Make sure tires are pumped, odometer works, and stuff is secure. You don’t want to be launching water bottles on a crowded course.

Swim to bike: The word is ‘multi-task’. If you’re wearing a wetsuit, start unzipping and pulling it down as you run—yes, run, this is a race–to your bike. Rubbing Body Glide or spraying a little PAM non-stick spray on your ankles, knees, elbows and wrists will really help the wetsuit slide off. Goggles and cap can come off on fly as well. Did you know that you can also wear your race belt and number tucked into your bathing suit? As you arrive at your bike, a well thought-out and practiced process will get you on the road smoothly. Remember to wait until you’re on the bike to eat or drink. (Practice your nutrition during training!)

Bike to run:
As crazy as it sounds, please remember to take off your helmet! Pull on your shoes—hopefully you’re using elastic laces or lace locks to avoid tying your shoes– and keep moving. Good luck at your next multi-sport event!